AC Milan fought back from a goal down to beat Parma 2-1 and move to within a point of Roberto D'Aversa's side in the Serie A table.
A Patrick Cutrone strike and a Franck Kessie penalty, awarded after a VAR review, saw the Rossoneri overturn Roberto Inglese's first-half opener and end a run of two league matches without a victory.
Parma players were far from pleased with the intervention from the video system, as its three-game unbeaten run came to an end at San Siro.
Milan's first-half dominance yielded little more than two close efforts from the lively Suso, who was the biggest threat in attack in the absence of the suspended Gonzalo Higuain.
Riccardo Gagliolo somehow headed wide for the visitor from six yards, although a foul had been awarded against Antonino Barilla, but Milan's set-piece frailties proved its undoing early in the second half.
Matteo Scozzarella whipped in a corner and Inglese escaped Kessie to glance a fine header past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
READ: AC Milan: 'Calm' not a word in Gennaro Gattuso's dictionary
Gattuso introduced Fabio Borini in the hope of inspiring a response, but it was Cutrone who levelled before the hour, steering a volley off the inside of the right-hand post and into the net, the goal standing after a VAR check.
The video assistant came to Milan's aid again 67 minutes in, when Alessandro Bastoni was eventually penalised for meeting a cross with outstretched arms, allowing Kessie to rifle home from the spot.
Alberto Grassi steered wide after beating the offside trap with seven minutes to play, which proved to be the final opportunity for Parma to avoid a 14th defeat in 16 away games against Milan.
What does it mean? Rossoneri put pressure on top four
Defeat for Milan could have seen it slip four points behind Lazio by the end of Sunday's action but is up into fourth – at least until the conclusion of the Roman club's match with Chievo – to lend a shot in the arm to its ambitions of a Champions League return.
Consistency continues to elude Parma in terms of results, but D'Aversa cannot be too disappointed to see his side in the top six after 14 matches.
Kessie makes amends
Having lost concentration to allow Inglese to open the scoring, Kessie responded with an impressive performance, which included three chances created, a 91 per cent passing accuracy and a well-taken penalty.
Gervinho missing a spark
Gervinho only managed 16 touches of the ball before he was hauled off 62 minutes in. Given his decent form during November, in which he scored in two 2-1 victories, this was a particularly anonymous outing.
What's next?
Milan hosts Torino next Sunday, the same day Parma faces Chievo at the Ennio Tardini.
Comments
SHARE